1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a seat assembly, and more particularly to the seat assembly having a mat of a flexible material installed within the seat assembly to provide a soft support, resiliency, and cushioning to a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous seat assemblies with means for providing resiliency and cushioning to a user and to preclude excessive sagging under the weight of the user are known in the prior art and are widely used today in various industries. Generally, when travelling at a high speed, a marine vehicle such as a boat is usually subject to heavy and violent blows and shocks as a result of waves running against the boat. Such blows cause discomfort and may make a marine voyage or fishing trip very unpleasant.
One conventional system for providing resiliency and cushioning to the user and to preclude excessive sagging under the weight of the user is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,952 to Rosenberg (the Rosenberg patent). The Rosenberg patent discloses an energy absorption system for a seat assembly having a plurality of nonlinear support elements between a metal seat pan and the buttocks of a user. Each of these support elements is equipped with a helical spring that cushions the user. As appreciated by those skilled in the art of marine vehicles, the use of springs of any kind to provide resiliency to the seat in the marine industry is not recommended due to the corrosive elements, water, salt, etc. encountered in typical marine applications. Several prior art patents, more particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,331 to Vento (the Vento patent), U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,195 to Masters et al. (the Masters patent), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,578 to Barton et al. (the Barton patent) tried to substitute the use of the springs by new inventive approaches discussed below.
The Vento patent shows a suspension system installed in a seat assembly used in a motor vehicle. The suspension system comprises an elastomeric fabric capable of providing sufficient strength to support the user. The elastomeric fabric forming suspension system is affixed to front and rear rods by any conventional means. The front and rear rods are attached to a seat assembly frame by attachments, wherein the attachments are installed within the seat frame first to secure the suspension system therewithin.
The Masters patent shows a seat assembly that includes a seat bottom trim supported on a pan defining a aperture portion. The seat frame assembly includes a mat disposed in the aperture of the pan for cushioning support of an occupant. The mat comprises a flexible woven material suspended across the aperture portion by rings and provides a soft support for the occupant.
The Barton patent shows a seat assembly including a seat bottom comprising a frame with side walls. The frame includes a central cutout region surrounded by a peripheral edge and a support mat that extends across the central cutout region. The mat is formed of a rubber suspension material or webbing to provide a balance between support and resiliency. The seating assembly includes a plurality of tabs to provide adjacent a peripheral edge of the central cutout to provide attachment locations for the mat that further includes a plurality of openings adapted to receive the tabs.
One of the areas of continuous development and research is the area of a more advanced design of a seat assembly for a boat. The opportunity remains for a new design of the seat assembly, where, unlike typical seats, a new seat assembly is easy to manufacture, simple to assembly, cost effective and does not employ the use of springs to provide resiliency to a seat portion of the seat assembly, specially when used in the marine industry, due to the corrosive elements, water, salt, etc. found in typical marine applications.
A seat assembly of the present invention includes a seat bottom having a first portion and a second portion with a central support portion disposed between the first and second portions and a seat back having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the seat back extends upwardly from and supported by the seat bottom. The seat assembly includes a central support portion that extends from the seat back and adjacent the seat bottom. To support a user and to provide resiliency to the seat assembly, the invention includes an elastic mat having a first end mounted to the first portion and a second end mounted to one of the second portion and the bottom portion of the seat back such that the elastic mat is suspended over the central support portion of the seat assembly.
The seat assembly includes a first mounting member connected to the first end of the elastic mat and a second mounting member connected to the second end of the elastic mat. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, the seat assembly may include several different methods of securing the elastic mat with the first and second mounting members.
The seat assembly disclosed in the present invention includes a first socket and a second socket integrally disposed within the seat bottom designed to secure the first and second mounting members and the elastic mat entrained therebetween. The first socket is integrally disposed within the first portion of said seat bottom for receiving the first mounting member to facilitate the mounting of the first end of the mat to the first portion. The second socket is integrally disposed within one of the second portion of the seat bottom and the bottom portion of the seat back for receiving the second mounting member to facilitate the mounting of the second end of said mat to one of the second portion and bottom portion, respectively. The invention subject matter provides a support the user and a resiliency to the seat assembly.
One of the advantages of the present invention provides for a cushioning and support system positioned within the seat adapted to provide vertical downward movement and cushioning to a user. Still another advantage of the present invention eliminated the use on metal components such as springs due to the corrosive elements, water, salt, etc. found in typical marine applications.
Accordingly, the seat assembly shown in the present invention is new, easy to install and manufacture, and provides for an effective way to increase resiliency to the seat used in the marine industry.